Receptacle filling machines



Dec. 6, 1966 R. L. SMITH 3,289,712

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINES Filed Feb. 4, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet l I mm L IJIIIUIIU F/G. IM ENTOR. fafiE/PT 4;. 5/141? Dec. 6, 1966 sMlTH 3,289,712

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINES Filed Feb. 4, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 6, 1966 R. L. SMITH 3,289,712!

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINES Filed Feb. 4, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 1966 R. 1.. SMITH RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 4, 1964 Dec. 6, 1966 R 5M|TH RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINES 6 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Feb. 4, 1964 Dec. 6, 1966 R. 1.. SMITH 3,289,712

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINES Filed Feb. 4, 1964 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 A TTQAE/VEY' Ilnited fitatcs Patent 3,289,712 RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINES Robert L. Smith, Louisville, Ky., assignor to (Zhemetron Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Belaware Filed Feb. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 342,427 8 Claims. (Qt. 14129S) This invention relates in general to the art of receptaclefilling machines.

It is an object of the invention to provide a locking mechanism by which a valving device may be quickly and easily locked to and unlocked from a reservoir of a receptacle filling machine by a clamp, preferably an adjustable toggle clamp.

It is another object of the invention to provide, in a receptacle filling machine, a locking means for releasably locking a valving device to a reservoir, having a cam-type action for urging the valving device into locked position.

It is another object of the invention to provide, in a receptacle filling machine, a locking means for releasably locking a valving device to a reservoir, in which a removable fiange extending outwardly from a stationary valve element serves both to hold the spring in compression and to form a part of the releasable locking means, and in which releasable locking means includes a clamp for urging the flange upwardly into a locked position.

It is another object of the invention to provide, in a receptacle filling machine, a piston-cylinder metering mechanism including sealing means having flap or lip portions which face one another, constructed and arranged to prevent air leakage into a passageway during the intake stroke of the piston and to prevent liquid leakage out of the passageway during the discharge stroke of the piston, the sealing means being lubricated by the liquid.

It is another feature of the invention to provide valve means for a receptacle filling machine for selectively opening and closing inlet and outlet ports, with the valve means having a closure portion mounted for travel into and out of the inlet port and having a resilient seal effective to prevent liquid leakage to or from the reservoi when the outlet port is open, the seal having a flap portion constructed and arranged to enter and leave the inlet port easily and to obviate damage to the seal.

It is another object of the invention to provide a discharge device, for a receptable filling machine having a valve port housing, which co-operates with a movable valve, with a toggle clamp constructed and arranged to urge the discharge device upwardly against, and into locked position relative to, the valve port housing.

It is another object of the invention to provide, in a receptacle filling machine, valve means for selectively opening and closing inlet and outlet ports with the valve means having a closure portion movable into and out of the inlet port, with a discharge trap effective to prevent flow out of a passageway connecting the inlet and outlet ports in a condition when the outlet port is open and the operation of the machine is interrupted, the closure portion having a resilient seal for preventing liquid leakage from a liquid supply source, through the inlet port into the passageway, through the outlet port, and through the discharge trap during such condition.

It is another object of the invention to provide a dis charge trap for a receptacle filling machine which cooperates with a movable valve so that liquid leakage from a passageway leading to the discharge trap is obviated when the outlet or discharge port is open and the operation of the machine is interrupted.

It is another object of the invention to provide, in a receptacle filling machine, a piston-cylinder metering mechanism in which a piston is spaced from and guided for travel in an elongated cylinder by non-metallic wear 3,23%,712 Patented Dec. 6, I956 rings, with the wear rings constructed and arranged to gradually process around the piston during its intake and discharge strokes, with the piston additionally having sealing means for preventing liquid leakage from and air leakage into a passageway which is in liquid communication with the cylinder.

It is another object of the invention to provide a valve, in a receptacle filling machine, for selectively opening and closing inlet and outlet ports, with a passageway connecting the inlet and outlet ports and a metering mechanism, with a discharge trap formed at least partly in the valve and constructed and arranged so that when the outlet port is open and the meter-ing mechanism ceases to discharge liquid, leakage from the passageway is obviated.

It is another object of the invention to provide, in a receptacle filling machine having a vertically movable value, a resilient closure port-ion operable by the valve to open and close a discharge port so that dripping is obviated when the discharge port is closed.

These objects and other features and advantages will become more apparent from the following description and reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a valving device releasably locked to a reservoir of a receptacle filling machine, and further showing a receptacle resting on a vertically movable support;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view showing the components of the valving device mainly in section;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the releasable locking means in locking engagement with both a flange of the reservoir and the valving device;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the flange by which the valving device is connecta-ble and disconnectable from the eservo-ir in a position in which the flange is partly removed from the stationary valve element;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view, mainly in section, showing in detail the means by which the clamp is adjustaole;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational View, mainly in section, showing a fragmentary portion of a rotary filling machine in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged elevational View, mainly in section, showing in detail a fragmentary portion of a piston and a wear ring and air and liquid seals which it carries, in association with a cylinder;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view, mainly in section, showing in detail a valve with a discharge trap, and showing the valve in its lowered position;

FIGURE 10 is an elevational view, mainly in section, similar to FIGURE 9, showing the valve in its raised position;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a seal in extended position as when the valve is in the lowered position;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIGURE 9;

FUIGURE 13 is a sectional view taken along line 13-l3 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken along line 14-14 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of a piston provided with an alternative form of air and liquid seal, in association with a cylinder;

FIGURE 16 is an elevational view, mainly in section, showing an alternative form of discharge trap from that shown in FIGURES 7 and 9 through 14 of the drawings, with the valve shown in its lowered position; i

FIGURE 17 is a view similar to FIGURE 16, but showing the valve in its raised position;

FIGURE 18 is a sectional view taken along line 18-18 of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 19 is a sectional view taken along line 19--19 of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 20 is a sectional view taken along line 2lI-20 of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 21 is an elevational view, mainly in section, of a fragmentary portion of a filling machine like that illustrated in FIGURE 7, showing an alternative form of discharge trap, and showing a valve and a closure in their lowered positions;

FIGURE 22 is a view similar to FIGURE 21, but showing the valve and the closure in their raised positions;

FIGURE 23 is a perspective view showing a cup-shaped member of the discharge trap shown in FIGURES 21 and 22; and

FIGURE 24 is a sectional view taken along line 2424 of FIGURE 21.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 6 of the drawings, there is shown a receptacle operated valving device generally indicated at 10. The valving device 10 forms part of a filling machine of the same type as disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,896,676 in FIGURES 21 through 26 and in the description relating to those figures. Only one valving device 10 is shown for the sake of simplicity, but it is to be understood that a typical rotary filling machine has many of such devices. The valving device 10 is shown to be releasably locked to a reservoir 11 which is common to the other valving devices (not shown). A releasable locking means is illustrated as including a toggle clamp 12 which is shown to hold the valving device 10 releasably locked to the reservoir 11.

The Valving device 10 includes a stationary valve element 13 which is tubular in cross section and terminates at a lower end wall 14. The end wall 14 is shown to have an external outwardly and downwardly sloping seat 15. A movable valve element 16 has a tubular cross section and terminates at its lower end at a downwardly and outwardly sloping seat 17. When the seat 17 is in contact with the seat 15, sealing contact between the stationary valve element 13 and the movable valve element 16 is provided. The stationary valve element 13 has two transverse discharge ports 13, only one of which is shown, through which liquid can flow by gravity into a receptacle 19 when the movable valve element 16 is in the position shown in FIGURE 2.

The upper end of the movable valve element 16 is shown to have an external upwardly facing shoulder 22 and a vertically extending collar portion 23. A lower end 24 of a compression spring 25 is shown to be in abutment with and to exert a downward force on the shoulder 22, while the collar 23 serves to prevent transverse shifting of the lower end 24 of the spring 25. Toward the upper end of the stationary valve element 13 is an annular groove 26 which is shown to slidably receive a radially outwardly extending flange 27. The flange 27 is shown to be generally U-shaped in construction and to have a downwardly facing recess 28 formed in its lower surface. Upper end 29 of the spring 25 is shown to be nested in the recess 28 so as to prevent any transverse shifting movement of the upper end 29. The spring 25 is held under compression by and between the shoulder 22 and the flange 27. The spring 25 is able to be compressed, and the flange 27 connected to the stationary valve element 13, while the valving device 10 is off the machine, thus eliminating the need for compressing the spring 25 on the machine. It is apparent that each valving device 10 can be mounted and dismounted from the machine, as a unit.

The movable valve element 16, which is received around the stationary valve element 13, has external threads 31. A receptacle-operated actuator generally indicated at 32 is shown to have internal threads 33 which threadably engage the threads 31. By threading the actuator 32 along the movable valve element 16, the actuator can be adjusted vertically relative to the movable valve element 16. A lock nut 34 threadably received by the threads 31 is employed to lock the actuator 32 in its adjusted position. The actuator 32 includes a radially outwardly extending flange 35 joined at its periphery to what are shown to be downwardly extending portions 36, each of which terminates at a radially inwardly extending projection 37. A seal pad 38 having a downwardly facing receptacle-engaging face 39 is shown to be held in position by the projections 37. An upper edge 40 of the receptacle 19 is shown in FIGURE 2 to engage and exert a force against the pad 38, thus moving the movable valve element upwardly against the urging action of the spring 25. The receptacle 19 is raised and lowered by a cam-operated support 41, as is conventional.

As the receptacle 19 is being filled, air is vented from the receptacle 19 through a tube 42 which is secured in fluid-tight engagement with the end wall 14 of the stationary valve element 13. The tube 42 extends upwardly within the tubular stationary valve element 13 through an opening in reservoir 11 and extends upwardly in the reservoir 11 to above the level of the liquid L. The upper end of the tube 42 is provided with a baflle or deflector 43 which is open to the atmosphere.

The reservoir 11 includes a depending flange 44 which is shown to be suitably secured to a lower reservoir portion 45 at an opening 45. The flange 44 can also be secured to the lower reservoir portion 45 so as to form a part of the reservoir 11 such as by welding or as it can be formed by machining. The depending flange 44 has a radially outwardly extending flange portion 46 having a downwardly and outwardly inclined cam surface 47 at its periphery. The flange 27 has an upwardly and outwardly inclined cam surface 48.

The clamp 12 has generally arcuate segments 50 and 51 pivotally connected at a hinge 52. The segment 50 terminates at an end opposite the hinge 52 at a hooked portion 53. A movable clamping element 54 is shown to have .side walls 55 and 56 having aligned slots 57 and 53, respectively. A tubular bearing 59 is mounted for travel along the elongated slots 57 and 58. The bearing 59 threadably receives an adjusting screw 60. The adjusting screw 69 is also threadably received by a bright portion 61 which joins the side walls 55 and 56. The clamping element 54 has a finger engageable handle 62 by which the movable clamping element 54 can be manually operated. Oppositely facing ends 63 and 64 of a rectangularly shaped loop member 65 extend into the tubular hearing 59. The loop member 65 is pivotally connected to the segment 51.

The segments 50 and 51 have sloping cam surfaces 67 and 68 which exert a camming action on the cam surfaces 47 and 4-3, respectively, while the clamp 12 is being urged into clamping position so as to urge an upper terminal end 70 of the stationary valve element 13 against an internal seat 71. As is preferable, a gap is shown to exist between the flange 27 and the flange portion 46 to insure that the upper terminal end 70 of the stationary valve element 13 is capable of being urged against the seat 71.

The upper portion of the stationary valve element 13, which is received in the flange 4-4, is provided with an annular groove 72 which receives an O-ring type sealing element 73. The lower end of the stationary valve element 13, which is in sliding contact with the inner wall 21} of the movable valve element 16, is shown to be provided with a groove 74 which receives an O-ring type sealing element 75.

Spaced grooves 76 and 77 are provided in the stationary valve element 13. The grooves 76 and 77 receive wear rings 78 and 79, respectively. Slight clearance exists between the stationary valve element 13 and the movable valve element 16. The inner surface 20 of the movable valve element 16 is in slidable engagement with a; the wear rings 7 S and 79. The Wear rings have the same construction and are composed of the same materials as wear rings 86 and 87 described below. By a construction (not shown), the wear rings can be received in grooves in the movable valve element 16 instead of in grooves in the stationary valve element 13. It is obvious that one wide wear ring (not shown) can be used instead of two wear rings, if desired.

In mounting the valving device 10 onto the reservoir 11 the tube is inserted through the opening 45 of the reservoir and with the same motion the upper end of the stationary valve element 13 is inserted into a bore 44 defined by the depending flange 44. The clamp 12 which is in the open position is placed around the fiange 27 and the flange portion 46 and is moved into a closed position so that the curved portion 53 passes through the aperture 53 in the movable locking element 54. The finger-engageable handle 62 is then snapped by toggle-action into the position shown in FIGURES 1 through 4 of the drawings, thus bringing the valving device 10 into locked position relative to the reservoir 11. To insure that the clamp 12 exerts the proper clamping and camming action on the fiange 27 and the flange portion 46, the clamp 12 can be adjusted by turning the adjusting screw 60 should the need arise either at initial assembly or subsequently.

Referring now to the embodiment of FXGURES 7 through 14 of the drawings, there is shown a fragmentary portion of a rotary filling machine generally indicated at 80. This type of machine is disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,896,676 in FIGURES 1 through and in the description relating to those figures, and also in US. Patent No. 3,097,672.

The filling machine 80 is shown to have a bowl or reservoir 81 shown to contain a liquid L. The filling machine 80 includes a plurality of piston-cylinder metering mechanisms generally indicated at 82, only one of which is shown. Each piston-cylinder metering mechanism includes a piston 83 mounted for travel in an elongated cylinder 84. A clearance space 85 is shown to be provided between the piston 83 and the inside wall of the cylinder 84. Spaced wear rings 86 and 87 are shown to be received in grooves 88 and 89 in the piston 83. The wear rings 86 and 87 are spaced apart on the piston 83 as far as is practical. The wear rings 86 and 87, each have adjacent ends 86' and 36", and 87 and 87", respectively, so that each of the wear rings 86 and 87 is considered to be split. The ends 86 and 86" are split at an angle sufiicient to cause the wear ring 86 to progress, that is, move, around the piston 83 as the piston 53 moves during its intake and discharge strokes. The angle of the split is preferably, but not necessarily, The wear ring 87 also progresses around the piston 83 as the piston 83 moves, since the ends 87 and 87" are constructed like the ends 86 and 86 of the wear ring 86.

Secured to the upper end of the piston 83 is a roller 90 which rides in a cam track generally indicated at 91. The roller 90 is rotatably mounted on a stud-like screw 92 which is threadably secured to the piston 83. The cylinder 84 is provided with an elongated slot 93 which is shown to extend in a vertical direction. As the reservoir 81, the filling cylinder mechanisms 82, and their associated components rotate, the stationary cam track 91 will actuate each piston alternately upwardly to define an intake stroke and downwardly to define a discharge stroke. The piston 83 is prevented from rotating by a guide in the form of a guide block 94- which slides in the elongated slot 93. Since the wear rings 86 and 87 are split, since there is a clearance space 85 between the piston 83 and the inner wall of the cylinder 84, and since the wear ring 86 travels to above the lower end of elongated slot 93, air is free to circulate into and out of the clearance space 85. Closely adjacent a liquid-engageable end 95 of the piston 83 there is provided sealing means generally indicated at 96 which serves to prevent air from leaking into a passageway 97, defined by a valve port housing 98, on the intake stroke of the piston 83 and to prevent liquid leakage from the passageway 97 during the discharge stroke of the piston 83. The sealing means 96 is illustrated as including a pair of resilient U-cup seals 99 and 1% which are shown to face each other. The seals 99 and 1% which are shown to be retained in grooves 161 and 192, respectively, formed in the pis ton 83. The grooves 1&1 and 1&2 are shown to be partly formed by a common ridge 1113 which is of lesser radial extent than the piston 83 so that a passage 1113 exists to provide liquid communication between the seals 99 and 1th). The U-cup seals as and 1%, which extend completely around the piston 253, are provided with continuous flap or lip portions 1M and 1&5, respectively. Initially, before receptacles are to be filled with a new product, the machine is operated so that each piston 83 can complete at least one discharge stroke. Upon the first discharge stroke of a particular piston 83, the lip portion will enable liquid to pass from the passageway 97 into the passage 1% because during the discharge stroke the lip portion 105 is not primarily relied upon to perform a sealing function. The existence of liquid in the passage 111.3 will assure that the external surfaces of the lip portions 104 and 105 will be wetted by the liquid which is being handled. After the completion of the first discharge stroke, the piston will move upwardly on its intake stroke so that the lip portion 1115 will seal the passageway 97 against air leakage from within the clearance space 85. During the intake stroke the lip portion 104 is not relied primarily upon to perform a sealing function.

When the machine 80 is to be operated at relatively low speeds and/or the material to be filled is of relatively low viscosity, the downwardly facing U-cup seal 1% alone is sufficient to seal the passageway 97 against air and liquid leakage.

As each of the pistons 83 move on their intake and discharge strokes, the inclined ends 86 and 86 and 87' and 87" of the wear rings 86 and 87, respectively, will cause the wear rings 86 and 87 to progress around the piston so that wear is evenly distributed. The wear rings 86 and 87 are preferably composed of a non-metallic material such as a polytetrafluoroethylene, commercially known under the trademark Teflon.

Valve means generally indicated at 11th is provided to selectively open and close a tubular inlet port 111 and a tubular outlet port 112. The valve means 111] includes a vertically movable valve 113 having a closure portion 114 which is movable into and out of the inlet port 111, and further includes a closure portion 115 movable into and out of the port 112. The uppermost portion of the valve means 110 is provided with a rotatably mounted roller 116 by means of which the valve 113 is raised into a raised position and is further provided with a magnetically-responsive element 117 by which the valve 113 is capable of being held in its raised position and of being lowered to its lowered position as more fully described in the above-mentioned Patent No. 3,097,672; it is to be understood that the valve 113 is capable of being held in its raised position and lowered by other and different means from that shown in that patent, as for example by a cam track as disclosed in above-mentioned Patent No. 2,896,676.

As best shown in FIGURES 9 through 11, the closure portion 114 is provided with a continuous peripheral groove 118 in which there is a resilient U-cup seal generally indicated at 119. The U-cup seal 119 is provided with a continuous flap or lip portion 120 which is at least slightly recessed at its upper end in the groove 118 as indicated at 121. The lip portion 120 is shown to extend in a direction generally toward the outlet port 112, and more specifically in a generally downward direction. When the closure portion 11d is positioned in the passageway 97 between the inlet port 111 and the 7 outlet port 112 as seen in FIGURES 9 and 11, the lip portion 120 is shown to extend radially slightly beyond the periphery of the closure portion 114. As the closure portion moves from the position shown in FIGURE 9 to the position shown in FIGURE 10, the lip portion 120 is flexed inwardly upon contact with the inner surface of the inlet port 111. Due to the fact that the upper end of the lip portion 120 is recessed in the groove 118 as indicated in 121, damage to the seal 119 is obviated.

.A lower surface of the groove 118 is shown to taper downwardly so that liquid trapped in the seal 119 is forced into the passageway 97. The seal 119 is par ticularly advantageous when the reservoir 81 holds a liquid of low viscosity; if leakage were to occur between the inlet port 111 and the closure portion 114 when the outlet port 112 is open and when the piston 83 ceases to complete its discharge stroke, not only could liquid drain completely out of .the passageway 97, but the low viscosity liquid could also leak from the reservoir 81 through the passageway 97 and through the outlet port 112.

A discharge device generally indicated at 124 is shown to take the form of a discharge nozzle 125 depending from the valve port housing 98. The lower end of the valve port housing 98 is shown to be provided as an external flange 126, while the upper end of the discharge nozzle 125 is shown to be provided with an external flange 127 which is shown to be in face-to-face relationship and spaced from the external flange 126. The periphery of the external flange 126 has an outwardly and downwardly inclined cam surface 128, while the external flange 127 has an outwardly and upwardly inclined cam surface 129. A toggle clamp 12', identical to the toggle clamp 12, is shown to urge the upper terminal end 131 of the discharge nozzle 125 into abutment with an internal downwardly facing seat 132 of the valve port housing 98. The internal seat 132 defines an opening 133 through which the valve 113 is capable of moving. A resilient O-ring seal 134 is shown to be received in' a groove 135 in the upper end of the discharge nozzle 125 at a place closely adjacent to its terminal end 131. The upper end of the discharge nozzle 125 is shown to be received in a vertical extending annular bore 136 which terminates at the seat 132.

A part of the valve 113 is constructed and arranged to provide a discharge trap generally indicated at 141). The discharge trap 140 is slidably received in the nozzle 125 and is movable from the lowered position shown in FIGURE 9 to the raised position shown in FIGURE 10. The closure portion 114 and the discharge trap 140 are connected by a stern 141 of relatively small diameter. The discharge trap 141) terminates at its lower end at the closure portion 115. The discharge trap 140 is formed by various cut-outs in the valve 113 the component parts of which are considered to be: a vertical passage 142 which is in liquid communication with the liquid in the passageway 97; the vertical passage 142 leads into a pair of horizontal passages 143 and 144 which in turn lead into a pair of vertically extending passages 145 and 146, respectively; the passages 145 and 146 communicate with a vertically extending discharge passage 147, defined in part by the nozzle 125, by means of a pair of passages 148 and 149, respectively. There is, of course, no discharge of liquid through the port 112 when the valve 113 is in the position shown in FIGURE 9. When the valve 113 is in the position shown in FIGURE and assuming the piston 83 is in motion on its discharge stroke, liquid is discharged from the cylinder 84 by the piston 83 into the passageway 97, through the discharge trap 141), and through the outlet port 112. The path of the liquid through the discharge trap is as follows: downwardly through the vertically extending passage 142 and across the passages 143 and 144 into the vertically extending passages and 146, and across the passages 148 and 149 into and through the discharge passage 147.

Assuming that the valve 113 is in the position of FIGURE 10 of the drawings and that the piston 83 ceases its motion during its discharge stroke, the discharge trap 141) will prevent liquid from draining from the passageway 97. Depending upon the viscosity of the liquid being handled, drainage of some or all of the liquid in the discharge passage 147 and the passages 148 and 149 may occur. Once that liquid has drained from passages 147, 148 and 149, further drainage is impossible since no air can enter the passages 145 and 146 to replace the liquid. The seal 119 prevents leakage from the reservoir 81 into the passageway 97 and through the discharge trap 140, and through the outlet port 112.

Assuming that at least some of the liquid has drained from the passages 147, 148 and 149, and assuming further that the piston again moves to complete its discharge stroke, any air will first be purged from the passages 147, 148 and 149, and depending upon the amount of unfinished discharge movement of the piston, liquid may be dispensed through the discharge port 112. As the closure portion 115 enters the outlet port 112 to prevent any furthcr flow of liquid through the trap 140, an internal recess 150 begins to establish communication between the vertical passage 142 and the passages 148 and 149 so that any air which may be present in'the discharge passages 147, 148 and 149, will be bypassed directly into the vertical passage 142. Downwardly and inwardly inclined portion 151 which is immediately above the closure portion 115 cooperates with internal surface 152 of the nozzle 125 to pump any air back into the passageway 97. When the valve 113 is in its lowered position as shown in FIGURE 9, at least some of the air in the passageway 97 can find its way into the reservoir and to the surface of the liquid L.

Referring now to FIGURE 15 of the drawings, there is shown sealing means generally indicated at 155. The sealing means 155 differs from the sealing means 96, in that, instead of employing a pair of U-cup seals, a resilient C-cup seal is provided. The sealing means 155 is shown to have a pair of continuous lip -or flap portions 104' and 105 which face each other. The lip portion 164' provides a liquid seal during the discharge stroke of a piston 83, while the lip portion 165 provides an air seal on the intake stroke of the piston 83'. The piston 83 has only one groove 156 for receiving the sealing means 155. In other respects the piston 83' is identical in construction to the piston 83 and has spaced wear rings identical in construction to the wear rings 86 and 87. A fragmentary portion of a wear ring 157, which corresponds with wear ring 87, is shown.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURES 16 through 20, components having the same general construction, function, and relative location are indicated by the same reference characters as in the embodiment of FIGURES 7 through 14, with the addition of letter a. A discharge device 124a is shown to include a discharge nozzle 161 releasably locked to a valve port housing 97a by what is shown to be a toggle clamp 12a. A valve port housing 98a is shown to have an outwardly extending continuous annular flange 161 terminating at an outwardly and downwardly extending cam surface 162. The valve port housing 9811 has a tubular portion 163 terminating at a downwardly facing abutment face 164 disposed below the flange 161. The discharge nozzle 161) has an external annular flange 165 at its upper end, and the flange 165 terminates at its periphery at an outwardly and upwardly inclined cam surface 166. The nozzle 161) also has an internal upwardly facing shoulder 167 which is brought into abutment with the abutment face 164 as the clamp 12a is brought into locking position. A resilient seal 168 is shown to be positioned in an annular grove 169 in the discharge nozzle at a place between the upper surface of the flange 165 and the shoulder 167. The seal 168 could as well be provided in an annular groove (not shown) in the tubular portion 163 of the valve port housing 93a, if desired. A tubular member generally indicated at 170 is shown to define both an inlet port 171 and a portion of a discharge trap generally indicated at Mitzi. A valve generally indicated at 113a has a closure portion Tit-la for closing oft" the inlet port I71 and a closure portion 115a for closing oil the outlet port 112a. The valve 113a is provided with a passage 172 which extends across the valve 113a and communicates with a vertically extending passage 173. The tubular member 170 is provided with an opening 174 at its upper end, which provides communication between the passage 173 and a passage 175 when the valve 3113a is in its raised position as shown in FIGURE 17; in that position the discharge passage 175 is in liquid communication with the port 112a. The passage 175 is defined partly by a portion of the valve port housing 98a and a portion of the discharge nozzle 160 and is further defined partly by a portion of the outer surface of the tubular member 170. When the closure portion 115a begins closing off the outlet port 11201, communication is established, via the passage 174, from the passage 175 and the passageway 97a. As the closure portion 114:: has moved downwardly sufiiciently to open the inlet port 171, liquid and any air that may be in the passage 1'75 can pass through the passage 174, through the inlet port 171 and into the reservoir 81a. Depending upon the viscosity of the liquid some of the air from the passage 175 may be drawn into the passageway 7a on the intake stroke of the piston.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGURES 21 through 24, the same reference characters are employed to indicate components having the same general construction, function, and relative location as in the embodiment of FIGURES 7 through 14, with the addition of letter b.

The valve port housing 97b differs from the valve port housing 97 in that a depending flange portion 180 has internal threads 181. A two-part discharge device generally indicated at 182 includes 21 depending tubular member 133 which defines both an outlet port 184 and a portion of a discharge trap generally indicated at 185. The tubular member 183 has external threads 186 at its upper end. The discharge device 182 also includes a discharge nozzle 187 which is releasably locked by a toggle clamp 12b to the tubular member 183. The lower end of the tubular member 183 is provided with an annular external flange 188 having a downwardly and outwardly extending cam surface 139, while the upper end of the discharge nozzle 187 has an external flange 120 having an outwardly and upwardly inclined cam surface 191. Flat surfaces 188 of the flange 188 are engageable by a wrench to permit the member 183 to be easily tightened or removed from the valve port housing 9812. A depending tubular portion 192 of the member 183 has an abutment surface 193 which is shown to be in abutment with an upwardly facing internal shoulder 194 of the nozzle 187. A resilient seal H prevents liquid leakage between the member 1.33 and the nozzle 187.

The lower end of the nozzle 187 has an inwardly and downwardly inclined annular internal surface 196 which terminates at a sharp annular discharge port 197. A cup-shaped member 198 is shown to be spaced from and between the bottom at inner surface of the nozzle 187 and a depending tubular portion 1% of the member 183 to define a vertically extending passage 200 communicating with a vertically extending discharge passage 201 via passages 202 formed in the tubular member 1%. The cup-shaped member 198 has a horizontally extending lower wall 203 so that liquid must pass through the discharge port 184, through the passage 200, through the passages 202, through the passage 201, and through the discharge port 197. The passages 202 exist between upi0 wardly extending projections 204 which preferably terminate slightly short of the member 183. The cupshaped member 198 has a plurality of, and in particular three, radially outwardly extending projections 205 which center the cup-shaped member 198 within the nozzle and which enable the cup-shaped member to be supported by the upper end of the inclined surface 196. A closure generally indicated at 206, including a flexible resilient closure portion 206', is provided for opening and closing off the discharge port 197. The closure portion 2% has an upwardly and outwardly inclined surface 207 which is inclined at substantially the same angle as the inclined surface 196 and is adapted to form a seal upon contact with the inclined surface 196. The closure portion 206 is preferably constructed of a flexible resilient material, such as rubber, compatible with the liquid to be dispensed, so that it will conform to minor ilregularities of the surface 196 and will provide an effective seal against liquid drippage. A vertically extending stem 208 is joined to the closure portion 206, for example by securing perforate plate 209 to the lower end of the stem 298 and by molding the closure portion 206' to the lower end of the stem 208 and the plate 209. The stem 208 is shown to be slidably received and guided by a central aperture 210 in the bottom wall 203 of the cupshaped member 198. The clearance between the stem 208 and the aperture 210 is only sufiicient to permit the sliding movement of the stem 208. The bottom wall 203 of the cup-shaped member 198 is provided with a recess 211 at the place of the aperture 210. A hook-shaped recess 212 is provided near the upper end of the stem 208. One end of a compression spring 213 is hooked into the hookshaped recess 212 and the other end of the spring 213 nests in the recess 211. The valve 213 has a central, downwardly opening cone-shaped recess 214 into which the upper end of the stern 200 is adapted to move. The valve 1193b is capable of moving the closure 206 in a downward direction against the upward urging of the spring 213. The valve 113]; is connected to the closure 206 through a lost-motion connection indicated generally at 215. When the valve 113]) moves upwardly so that the stern 208 loses contact with the valve 113b, the soring 213 is able to urge the seal upwardly against the bottom Wall 203 of the cu -shaped member 108, thus completely opening the discharge port 197. When the valve 1113b is in the position shown in FIGURE 22, liquid is capable of passing through the passageway 97b. through the discharge trap 185, and throu h the discharge port 197 assuming, of course, that the iston-cylinder metering mechanism (not shown in FIGURE 22) is moving on its discharge stroke; in this position, the closure portion 206' also provides an auxiliary seal against liquid leakage between the stem 208 and the aperture 210. As closure portion 11501 of the valve 113a begins to close off the outlet port 184, the stem 208 begins to contact the valve 113i in the recess 214. As the valve lll3b continues to move in a downward direction, the valve 113]; and the closure 206 will move together as a unit. When the valve 113i) has moved downwardly to its lowermost position as indicated in FIGURE 21, the closure portion 206 has closed the discharge port 197.

Other embodiments and modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a receptacle filling machine: a reservoir, at least one depending valving device in liquid communication with said reservoir, a stationary valve element and a cooperating movable valve element, means for urging said movable valve element downwardly into a closed position to prevent flow out of said valving device, an actuator for actuating said movable valve element upwardly to an open position enabling flow out of said valving device into a receptacle, a first cam surface on said reservoir, a second cam surface on said valving device, and a clamp for locking said valving device to said reservoir against movement, said clamp having cam surfaces coacting with said first and second cam surfaces to urge said valving device into a locked position.

2. In a receptacle filling machine: a reservoir, at least one depending receptacle-operated valving device in liquid communication with said reservoir, a stationary valve element and a co-operating movable valve element, a spring, one end of said spring acting to urge said movable valve element downwardly into a closed position to prevent flow out of said valving device, a receptacle-operated actuator for moving said movable valve element upwardly to an open position enabling flow out of said valving device into receptacle, a removable flange extending outwardly from said stationary valve element, the other end of said spring acting against said removable flange, and a toggle clamp engageable with said removable flange and said reservoir for releasably locking said valving device to said reservoir.

3. The invention defined in claim 2, including means for adjusting said toggle clamp.

4. In a receptacle filling machine: a reservoir, at least one depending receptacle-operated valving device in liquid communication with said reservoir, said reservoir having a depending flange, said flange having an outwardly extending flange portion, said valving device having a stationary valve element and a cooperating movable valve element, means for urging said movable valve element downwardly into a closed position to prevent flow out of said valving device, a receptacle-operated actuator for actuating said movable valve element upwardly to an open position enabling flow out of said valving device into a receptacle, means connecting said actuator to said movable valve element for adjustment, said valving device having a vent for permitting air to escape from the receptacle as it is being filled, an outwardly extending flange held against upward and downward movement on said stationary valve element, and a toggle clamp, including cam means, for clamping said flange portion and said flange in locked position relative to each other.

5. In a receptacle filling machine: a reservoir, at least one depending receptacle-operated valving device in liquid communication with said reservoir, a stationary valve element, a cooperating, generally vertically movable valve element, a spring, one end of said spring acting to urge said movable valve element downwardly into a closed position to prevent flow out of said valving device, a receptacle-operated actuator for moving said movable valve element upwardly to an open position enabling flow out of said valving device into a receptacle, generally hori- Zontal groove means in said stationary valve element, a generally horizontally extending flange removably received in said groove means, the other end of said spring 12 acting against said flange, and a clamp engageable with said flange and said reservoir for releasably locking said valving device to said reservoir.

6. The invention defined in claim 5, said flange having a downwardly-facing recess for nesting said other end of said spring.

7. In a receptacle filling machine: a reservoir, at least one depending receptacle-operated valving device in liquid communication with said reservoir, a stationary valve element and a co-operating movable valve element, a spring, one end of said spring acting to urge said movable valve element downwardly into a closed position to prevent flow of said valving device, a receptacle-operated actuator for moving said movable valve element upwardly to an open position enabling flow out of said valving device into a receptacle, a flange against which the other end of said spring acts for holding said spring under compression, means mounting said flange for quick removal from said stationary valve element, and means engageable with said flange and said reservoir for releasably locking said valving device to said reservoir.

8. In a receptacle filling machine: a reservoir, at least one depending receptacle-operated valving device in liquid communication with said reservoir, a tubular stationary valve element, a co-operating movable tubular valve element encircling said stationary valve element, non-metallic wear ring means carried by one of said valve elements and disposed in sliding engagement with the other of said valve elements, a transverse discharge port at the lower end of said stationary valve element, said stationary valve element having a seat, said movable valve element having a seat, means for urging said movable valve element downwardly to urge said seat of said movable element against said seat of said stationary valve element, a receptacle-operated actuator for actuating said movable valve element upwardly to raise said movable valve element and its seat and to uncover said port, and a resilient seal encircling said stationary valve element below said wear ring means and above said seats for sealing said stationary and movable valve elements against liquid leakage.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Coats 285-365 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Examiner.

H. BELL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE: A RESERVOIR, AT LEAST ONE DEPENDING VALVING DEVICE IN LIQUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID RESERVOIR, A STATIONARY VALVE ELEMENT AND A COOPERATING MOVABLE VALVE ELEMENT, MEANS FOR URGING SAID MOVABLE VALVE ELEMENT DOWNWARDLY INTO A CLOSED POSITION TO PREVENT FLOW OUT OF SAID VALVING DEVICE, AN ACTUATOR FOR ACTUATING SAID MOVABLE VALVE ELEMENT UPWARDLY TO AN OPEN POSITION ENABLING FLOW OUT OF SAID VALVING DEVICE INTO A RECEPTACLE, A FIRST CAM SURFACE ON SAID RESERVOIR, A SECOND CAM SURFACE ON SAID VALVING DEVICE, AND A CLAMP FOR LOCKING SAID VALVING DEVICE TO SAID RESERVOIR AGAINST MOVEMENT, SAID CLAMP HAVING CAM SURFACES COACTING WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND CAM SURFACES TO URGE SAID VALVING DEVICE INTO A LOCKED POSITION. 